The political careers of Voreqe Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, founders of FijiFirst, came to an unfortunate end following the party’s deregistration. Former permanent secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Jioji Kotobalavu, observed that this move has extensive implications.
The political journey of the pair began after a December 2006 coup, led by Bainimarama, the military commander at the time, which overthrew the democratically-elected government headed by the late Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.
Despite a triumphant start in the 2014 General Election, winning 59% of votes and securing 32 Parliamentary seats, the party experienced a steady decline over the years. In the 2018 General Election, it garnered only 50.02% votes and 27 seats. The decline continued into the 2022 General Election, in which the party won only 42.55% votes and 26 Parliamentary seats.
Kotobalavu also mentioned that the party was reportedly burdened by a substantial unpaid debt. On top of this, Bainimarama, the former Prime Minister, faced imprisonment for the misuse of public authority. This turmoil resulted in both founders stepping down from the party and Parliament, leaving the remaining 24 Members of Parliament to serve as independent members.
Reconstruction of the party is seemingly improbable as the burden of the party’s considerable debt remains. The only remaining legacy of the founders is the 2013 Constitution they imposed on Fijians, which, as Kotobalavu notes, won’t last in its current form and will need amending for better governance.